


Once upon a Hanukkah

by Swen and Chill (anotherouatwriter)



Series: Baby, it's cold outside. [21]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Hanukkah, No Magic Storybrooke AU., countdown to christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 23:04:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8943091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherouatwriter/pseuds/Swen%20and%20Chill
Summary: Emma and Regina are invited to celebrate Hanukkah with the Charmings.AU - No Magic Storybrooke.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smg55](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smg55/gifts).



> Notes: Established Swan Queen. Snowing are a Jewish couple. 
> 
> Also, according to my beta "Regina's attitude is mirrored from me" (and yes, I love learning about other religions)
> 
> -  
> This one is for the mysterious smg55, thanks for giving me the prompt and helping me with the research.
> 
> Thank you!

Emma knew her wife was a dork when it came to learning about religions, but she didn't expect Regina to get so excited when she told her that Mary Margaret and David invited them to celebrate one of the eight nights of Hanukkah with them. Regina decided to dedicate her free time to read about the Jewish traditions and whenever she could, she'd share the information with Emma.

"Did you know that, just as red and green are associated with Christmas, blue and silver are Hanukkah colors? At least here in America."

Emma, on the other hand, was not very interested in religions. She was Christian because her parents had her baptized but that was it. She loved Christmas because who wouldn't love getting presents? And she knew she'd love Hanukkah because David had told her about the food they ate during the days. Those were the only things that mattered to the blonde: toys and food.

Regina would always get annoyed when Emma waved her hand in sign of disinterest, "Why do you chose to remain ignorant, Emma?"

"It's just dinner, Regina," Emma rolled her eyes, but continued playing her video game, "It's not like I know everything about Christmas and I manage to get through those dinners with no problems."

"If you embarrass me, Emma Swan, I swear that I'll skin you alive."

Finally the day had arrived, Regina changed her outfit four times until she was fully content with her attire. Emma had decided to wear a blue pantsuit with a matching blazer and white blouse. And yes, she picked the blue one because of the Hanukkah colors and to make Regina happy. Regina looked at Emma with an arched eyebrow, but didn't criticize her clothes, so Emma took that as a win. Regina, on the other hand, decided to wear a silver, sequined low-key dress.

It was still light outside, but the sun was starting to set, so, it was time to start the festivities. When David invited them in, he noticed Regina looking at the Mezuzah. She had read about the piece of parchment inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah but she had never seen one in her life. David chuckled.

"Whenever we enter to a room, we have to touch it and kiss the fingers," David showed her how to do it. "It's to remind us about God," he added, "You can do it if you want."

And, of course, Regina did. With delicacy, as if the object would break under her non-Jewish touch.

Inside, Emma was hugging Mary Margaret and saying, "Happy Hanukkah!" while the latter replied "Chag Sameach!"

By the time Regina greeted Mary Margaret and the rest of the guests, she found Emma playing the dreidel with David and David's children. Regina read that it could be played in different ways. She approached the lot to ask about the rules.

"We all get the same amount of chocolate coins," Neal, David's first son started explaining, "Then, we all put one piece on the pot and spin the dreidel, it all depends on which side it lands," he grabbed the dreidel and showed Regina the different letters," nun or no coins, hey or half the pot, shin which means you put one in the pot, and gimel which means you win the pot."

"And you win when you get all the coins," Emma finished with a big smile on her face. Regina knew Emma had a huge competitive streak but she couldn't believe she was willing to take the children's chocolate coins in order to win. "Joshua already lost," she added, sticking her tongue out to the six year old.

"And Neal is almost out too," David excitedly commented, "Then, it's just you and me, Emma."

Regina shook her head and muttered, "Overgrown children."

David and Emma ignored the comment and proceeded with their game, David showing off his dreidel tricks by making it spin on his hand onto the table and then making it spin on its stem. Emma tried to perform both tricks and failed miserably.

"David," Mary Margaret interrupted the game, "It's time to light the Menorah."

The man took his chocolate coins with him, not trusting his children nor Emma around his treasure and went to the window where the nine-branched candelabrum was placed.

David took eight candles, since it was the eighth night of Hanukkah, and started placing them from the right-most spot to the left. Leaving the middle, elevated spot empty. After placing them, he lit an extra candle which was not on the Menorah. Regina later told her it was named "Shamash," and said some blessings in Hebrew. Then, he proceeded to light the eight candles, starting from the one of the farther left and going towards the right side. After all the candles were lit, he placed the Shamash in the middle spot.

To finish the process, everyone around them started singing a melodic piece which was Regina's favorite part of the night.

"Can we eat now?" Yamit, the youngest of the Nolan kids, asked after they all finished singing. Everyone laughed at the little girl's question and Mary Margaret invited them all to the table where the food had already been served.

Regina saw Emma putting four or five latkes on her dish and covering them with sour cream. The blonde inhaled the fried potato pancakes and returned for a second serving. After that, she continued to the sweet dish, sufganiyot, deep fried, jelly filled donuts. Regina stopped counting how many sufganiyots Emma ate after the sixth one.

After she had filled the bottomless pit she called her stomach, Emma approached her with two glasses of wine and sat next to her.

"Oh, my God, Regina!" Emma commented as she placed one wine glass in front of Regina, "This is even better than Christmas! I mean... Eight days of deep fried food."

Regina chuckled, "It's not like you don't eat bear claws on daily basis."

Emma smiled sheepishly at her. "True, but you wouldn't complain because it's tradition," and then, she raised the glass and toasted, "Happy Hanukkah, Regina."

Regina clinked her glass against Emma's as she repeated the words.


End file.
